Mail-box.



No; 669,624. Patented Mar. l2, 19m.

J. H. .D|CKSON. MAIL sox.

l (Application lefd Oct. 27, 1900.",`

(No Model.)

2 Shasta-Sheet I.

Tu: mams PETERS co. mofauno., wAsNmcroN, D. c.

J. H.. mcKsoN.

Patented Mar. l2, soif l-Ueirrnn Sterns LIAMES H. DICKSON, OF POLK, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Iaetters Patent N0. 669,624, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed October Z7, 1900. Serial No. 34.613. (No model.)

To all -whom t may concern,.-

Bc it known that I, JAMES H. DIcKsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident ot' Polk, county of Venango, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, forming part thereof, in which- Figure l is a face view in elevation, partly broken away, of myimproved mail-box. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on'the line III III of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the moving parts in position to receive mail. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view.

My invention consists of an improvement in mail-boxes, and is designed to provide a box which shall be strong, compact, and weatherproof inconstruction and which can be opened by the hand in depositing mailmatter and is proof against extraction of the mail except through the door.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the main lower body portion of the box into which the mail-matter is deposited by the upper rotating barrel and from which it is removed through the downwardly-dropping hinged door 2, in the manner usual in this class of boxes. This door is hinged to the lower edge of the floor 3, which is preferably corrugated across its surface and is provided with a retaining-hook 4, by which the door is prevented from falling forward beyond the angle indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, thus retaining the mail When the box is full. The door is provided with a staple 5, secured by a padlock and hasp 6, and from the side of the case projects outwardly7 a weather-shield 7.

Above the compartment A is a separate top 8, having downwardly-extending end walls 9, fitting in between the end walls of the main case, to which they are rigidly and securely attached by rivets 1.0, thus making the entire surrounding case practically one homogeneous construction. Pivotally mounted at 1I between the inner end walls is a rotatable barrel '12, surrounding which is a cylindrical enlargement 13 ofV the upper case, within which the barrel partly revolves. An inwardly-opening front gate l, hinged at 14, is adapted to swing inwardly under pressure of the hand beneath a suitably-curved coping portion l5 of the top, while between such portion I5 and the cylindrical case 13 is an upwardly-extending coping I6, providing space for the hand when the gate is pressed inwardly, as in Fig. 4.

The barrel is provided with a transverse opening or pocket 17 for its full length, which in the normal or closed position of the box is vertical, as shown in Fig. 3, but which when the front. gate is pressed back assumes the position shown in Fig. 4, ready to receive mail by rotating forwardly on its pivoted bearings. This movement is produced by means of stiff arms 18, attached tothe gate, and connecting-arms 19, pivot-ally secured at 2' to each end of the barrel 12 above the bearings 1l, such arms being pivotally connected together at 20, so that when the gate is depressed backwardly the barrel will be rotated forwardly, the top of opening 17 meeting the top of the depressed gate. The mail having been deposited, the barrel is automatically rotated backwardly by reason of counterbalancingweights 22, while excess movement in either direction is limited by stops 23, against which the edges of the rotating barrel abut, as clearly shown.

Beneath the gate l is a cross-partition 24, extending from the base of the hinged gate to the periphery of barrel l2, forming a positive barrier and effectually cutting olf communication to the interior, thus preventing extraction of letters.

It will be seen that in its rotation the coping 8 will have covered the top of the opening 17 before opening is established into the interior, as shown in Fig. 5, thus eifectually preventing the passage of a wire or any device for extracting letters from the box after they have been deposited therein, and the barrel is provided with a cylindrical apron 25 for the purpose of so cutting off communication to the interior, either through the opening 17 or around the upper edge of the gate when partly depressed. A projecting coping 26, provided with a groove 27, serves to protect the opening from and carry away rain, snow, &c., while projections 28, against which the gate bears when closed, serve the same purpose.

In operation the hand holding the letters is simply pressed against the gate 1 and they are dropped into the upper end of passage 17, which when the barrel rotates backwardly deposits them by gravity into the bottom of the box, due to the automatic closing action.

The dimensions of the entrance-opening and of the transverse opening 17 are of good size, so as to permit the entrance of letters of large size, as well as papers, small packages, &c., and it will be understood that such dimensions may be increased or proportioned at Will.

'lhe advantages of a mail-box which can be opened by the same hand holding the letA ters will be appreciatedA by the public at large, and the box is, furthermore, very compact, simple in construction, strong, durable, and reliable in operation, and not liable to get out of order.

Various changes may be made by the skilled mechanic in the design, proportion,or arrangement of the parts without departing from my invention, and all such I desire to include as Within the scope of my invention as expressed in the following` claims.

What I claim is- 1. In a mail-box, the combination with an inclosing case, of a rotatable barrel provided with a transverse passage adapted to register with the entrance, and with the interior of the box, respectively, an inwardly-opening hinged gate provided Wit-h an arm, and a connecting-arm pivoted to such arm, and to the barrel above its pivotal bearing respectively, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a mail-box, the combination With an inclosing case, of a rotatable barrel provided With a transverse passage adapted to register With an entrance-opening and with the interior of the box, respectively, and an inwardlyopening hinged gate, provided with an arm, a connecting-arm pivoted to such arm and to the barrel above its pivotal bearing, respectively, a counterweight on the barrel, and a cylindrical apron extension in front of the top ofthe transverse passage, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mail-box, the combination with an inclosing case of a rotatable barrel provided with a transverse passage, adapted to register with an entrance-opening, and with the interior of the box, respectively, an inwardlyopening hinged gate, provided with an arm, a connecting-arm pivoted to such arm and t-o the barrel above its pivotal bearing, 'respectively and a fixed separating-partition beneath the hinged gate, cutting off access to the interior, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mail-box, the combination With an inclosing case, of a rotatable barrel, provided with a transverse passage adapted to register with an entrance-opening, and with the interior of the box, respectively, an inwardlyopening hinged. gate adapted to be depressed backwardly by the hand holding the mail, provided with an arm, a connecting-arm pivoted to such arm and to ihe barrel aboveits pivotal bearing, a counterweight on the barrel and an outwardly projecting weathershield over the gate provided with a sloping water-groove, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Franklin, Pennsylvania, this 28th day of September, 1900.

JAMES H. DICKSON.

Witnesses:

P. H. CULBERTsoN, W. W. DAvIsoN. 

